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The area of Funtana Raminosa is located in Central Sardinia, between the regions of Barbagia di Belvì and Sarcidano, and covers an area of about 145 square kilometers, equivalent to 3.85% of the total area of the Geomining Park of Sardinia.
The importance of the area from a geo-mining point of view is mainly due to the presence of an important copper mine, Funtana Raminosa, which has played a particularly significant role in the metallurgical history of the this metal since the Eneolithic age. Adjacent to Funtana Raminosa is the iron deposit of Giaccurru-Perdabila where limited mining activity took place at different times.
The vastness of the forests and virgin lands has preserved a fauna of extraordinary interest. Mouflons abound, finding refuge in the highest peaks as well as golden eagles.
The mining sites of Funtana Raminosa, Giacurru - Perdabila and Corongiu-Seui, rich in evidence of mining work and industrial archaeology, are part of this highly important environmental context. The Funtana Raminosa mine is linked to a fundamental part of Sardinia's history. In fact, in this location, along the banks of the Rio Saraxinus, ancient people dug narrow tunnels, which sank for many meters into the rich pockets of copper minerals, signs of an ancient mining activity that did not elude the engineers who, in the 1900’s, studied the mine. Some porphyry discs, 5-10 centimeters in diameter, found on location, probably used to crush the mineral, were attributed to the Romans.
Later, entire ancient underground sites were discovered, from which the chalcopyrite and galena had been completely extracted. Several Nuragic foundries are located around the mine, where bronze metallurgy was most certainly perfected.